There was a screening of THE FOUNTAIN last night in Los Angeles.

It's from Darren Aronofsky (PI and REQUIEM FOR A DREAM)...but you probably know that already, too.

BELOW: Two reviews from last night's test screening. THE TOP REVIEW CONTAINS WELL MARKED SPOILERS, the second touches on a few plot points...but is not very spoilery. Both reviewers were floored by what they saw.

I've been anticipating this film for a long time...a very long time...and am now insanely jealous.

The first review is from Mega-Swarm...

AICNers, attention! This is Mega-Swarm, (read my previous early reviews of "Pick of Destiny" and "A Scanner Darkly" archived on this site), with a review of "The Fountain"! They first time test screened it here in LA at the Grove, and I was there to witness it! Let me start by saying I think Darren Aronofsky has made a truly moving film about dealing with mortality. This film grapples with the concepts of existence, being alive, religion, and accepting the death of loved ones around you as well as your own eventuality. Its all told in amazingly filmed psychedelic scenarios, phenomenal music, with unbelievably great performances by Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz. "The Fountain" is quite simply an amazing cinematic journey.

SPOILER GRAPPLER HAS BEEN FIRED!

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SPOILER GRAPPLER HAS LANDED....

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"The Fountain" is first and foremost a love story, as told within a lyrical trippy time travel storyline. There is nothing confusing about the way scenes flow from the past to the present to the future, it is in fact awe inspiring at how everything makes perfect sense. I found myself concerned with the main characters plight, but also becoming reflective in my own thoughts, as the film triggered my mind to think about my own mortality, my fears of the experience of the deaths of my friends, loved ones, and family. "The Fountain's" sure handed liquidy thought process and amazing cinematic flow is something I cannot describe, it must be experienced. "Awe" is a word that is used to describe the feeling of the infinite finality in the film, but it is also something you will feel by the films powerful imagery and Aronofsky's amazing compositions.

One big story beat that I feel can be completely and totally excised with no damage to the movie: The Inquisitor scenes. Cut all of them. They do nothing to move the story logic forward, save showing religious brutality, and they are not needed to move anything along, especially the characters.

Time Travel, as seen how it truly is in reality, all of it inside our minds, our thoughts, while we are alive. Aronofsky's film approaches the idea of love and life wrapped within the story of a mans refusal to accept the fate of his beloved, and his "trip" to discovery of acceptance of both her death and his own. I will argue the case that the future segments do not in fact ever happen, that they are actually a sliver of the present day characters hopes and dreams, and that he eventually meets up with "god" in his future dream-space mind, and accepts his life, his wife's death, and his own eventual death with peace in his heart.

SPOILER GRAPPLER UNHOOKED!

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Darren Aronofsky, hats off to you for prevailing and making this film become a reality. I was at the nuart when "Pi" premiered (I won the CD that night), and thought "Requiem" was a shattering piece of filmmaking. When I heard about "The Fountain" film almost six years ago, I was intrigued, and I am happy to say it was worth the wait.

The sound design is masterful, experimenting with sound drops like no other major film I've seen in a while. The shots and designs, back to back symbolism moving between patterns, it is all top notch. Rachel Weisz is filmed so close you can see every pore on her neck breathing. She is the rock that pushes Hugh's character forward, and she does this with grace and an otherworldy beauty.

This is Hugh Jackman's movie! It's his best role he's ever had and he brings everything he's got to it. I'm thankful Brad Pitt was a pussy and bailed on "acting" in this film, so that Hugh could show him what it is to become a character completely. Pitt might have derailed this film timewise (from 2002 to 2006) but he couldn't stop it from existing.

Warner Brothers/Regency, get with it and get this film released this year! It's not even scheduled for release? WTF, grow some balls and act like a real studio and not some cotton candy crap hole! Please, it would be great to see a real film playing in the theaters, instead of watching from afar the slow death of cinema in the form of "She's the Man", "Benchwarmers", and "The Pink Panther". Market this film as a psychedelic love story, and you will find quite more seats being filled upon release.

NOTE: This is not a science fiction film, this is not an action film, so please, sweaty fanboys who need to see explosions and lasers, do yourself a favor and just watch "The Black Hole" again. VINCENT and Maximillian are great, but this film really is for grownups. You won't like it, and you will complain about Hugh Jackman's spaceship as not looking "realistic". This is not a "cyber" film, nor is it a "matrix-type" film, nor is it like anything a genre fan might expect if you try to label this "scifi". This is something new. I can't wait for all of you film lovers out there to experience this movie.

Here's another review, this one from fILMBURST...

I attended a test-screening of "The Fountain" tonight
at The Grove in Los Angeles. WOW.

The Fountain is freaking amazing. It's quite unlike
anything we've seen before. The story is tremendously
ambitious. The VFX are beautiful... very weird but at
times breathtaking. The sound and music elements are
very intense. This is Darren Aronofsky's most
ambitious film yet. It is undoubtedly his best work.

I'll avoid spoilers here... don't worry.

We're first introduced to Hugh Jackman's character in
16th century New Spain. He is a conquistador fighting
for the Queen (Rachel Weisz) of Spain. Soon after we
meet Hugh's character (Tommy) in outer space, 1000
years in the future. Completely hairless and covered
with tattoos, he whispers to the Tree of Life, "We're
almost there." It's clear that he is traveling
somewhere with the Tree in attempt to save it from
dying. Finally we meet Tommy in the present where he's
a Neurologist searching to find the cure for cancer,
to "stop dying." In each of the three time-periods
Hugh's character is working toward saving his love,
who in each period is played by Rachel. "The
Fountain" is essentially a love story set over 1000
years.

The "future" portion of the movie looks absolutely
incredible. Just about all of the scenes in the future
take place in outer space. The visual imagery of these
scenes look like they're made entirely from VFX. It is
all really beautiful to watch.

The "past" portion of the movie takes place in Spain
and New Spain (Central America). The shots are very
close and intimate, lending to a very raw feel as
opposed to epic.

The "present" portion of the movie moves forward most
of the plot. Aronofsky doesn't employ much of the
shooting/cutting techniques here that he did on his
previous two movies. The entire movie is very close
and intimate instead of quick and flashy like Requiem
for a Dream. The technique here is entirely
appropriate for the subject matter and romantic nature
of the film.

While the visual aspects of the film aren't "flashy"
or "edgy" like one might expect from Darren Aronofsky,
not once did I feel underwhelmed by a lack of visual
stimulation. As said, the VFX are absolutely
incredible, and Matthew Libatique's center-frame
composition and a vibrant color palette subtley amount
to a beautiful looking film.

Despite how incredible the film LOOKS, the story and
acting are what really carry this film. I can't say
much else about the story line that wouldn't spoil
anything, but like I said it's extremely ambitious...
hard to follow at times but it all eventually makes
sense. In many ways the story will be open to
interpretation. The ending certainly could divide
audiences and provoke heated argument. ... And about
the acting: Hugh Jackman is freaking unbelievable. He
demonstrates such an incredible range. I'd dare call
him virtuoso in this performance. Rachel Weisz is
great in more of a supporting role. Ellen Burtsyn,
however, doesn't quite carry her weight. Perhaps her
role didn't provide much of an opportunity, but to me
her acting was the one low-point of the film.

Clint Mansell's score was beautiful... haunting,
intimate, and where appropriate, weird and intense. It
is not a traditional-sounding score by any means. The
score is mostly stringed instruments... I'd guess it
was performed by the Kronos Quartet again. It does
however sound like a "bigger" score than Requiem...
here it's embellished by choir, guitars, and heavy
drums. The Aronofsky-Mansell collaboration is proving
to be the most creative director-composer tandem out
there.

"The Fountain" is a tremendous accomplishment. It's
Darren Aronofsky's masterstroke. It will certainly
divide audiences and the subject matter could indeed
turn some viewers away, but for me, it's an amazing
movie. It blew me away.

Thanks for the reviews, guys. Sounds way beyond cool. In theory, THE FOUNTAIN will be released sometime this year...

...that was at the test screening. The cinematography was amazing and the ending was freaking awesome. As a whole, though, I found the film frustrating and disatifying. It gets you thinking, but don&#39;t fool yourself, it&#39;s not as complex as one might imply. It&#39;s more like a terminal-love romance movie your girlfriend would drag you than anything. But, hey, you know, that&#39;s just not my cup of tea.

Considering all the other crap keeping me out of the multiplex, bring on The Fountain. Actually, I&#39;m hitting The Grove tomorrow for Basic Instinct 2, first show. I&#39;ll be in the red hoody in case someone wishes to assassinate me.

Enjoy Aranofsky&#39;s work immensely and can&#39;t wait to see this. At first thought this appears to be another exploration of certain themes (love, mental time travel, etc) explored in Chris Marker&#39;s brilliant 1962 short film "La Jetee" (which, by the way, 12 Monkeys was loosely based upon) If you have not seen "La Jetee" then perhaps you should before seeing "The Fountain"

...and I&#39;m slowly starting to cave into temptation and buy the graphic novel but this is sounding like it could be one of the most original and dare I say important films of the year. Aronofsky&#39;s been gone too long...

nice note at the end of that review. I can totally see fanboys bitching about that shit. I just pretty much avoided reading anything about this film. I want to go in completely naked, save for watching that weird ass trailer. Been anxious to see Aronofsky get back behind the camera. How the hell did I not hear about this test screening here in LA?

and enjoyed a lot of things in it, but these two reviews are a bit too orgasmic. It was thought provoking and visually beautiful, but I felt the "modern" story line was bit too melodrama. Yes, the performances we great (couldn&#39;t see Pitt going to those emotional levels, or being a research scientist for that matter), but I felt I wanted more from the other two plot lines to equalize some of the sappiness. The film runs just over 90min, so maybe they trimmed those plots down. If so, I would love to see a LONGER director&#39;s cut. Overall, this film will both please and disappoint... but props to Darren for using the system to get a film like this made.

Why would I want to see it before? Why do you recommmend seeing Jette before, why not after seeing "The Fountain"? I usually enjoy seeing the modern telling of a tale, before seeing past ones. I thank you for your recommendation however. To those of you who have seen "the Fountain" are their any nipples in it? (female of course.)

I disagree. I felt these scenes were needed to understand the threat that Spain and the Queen faced. If not, we wouldn&#39;t know the urgency for his quest. Also, I think the futuristic plot was REAL and not just some "sliver of hope and dreams"... I hope Darren sets it straight some day.

Every talkback should have a discussion of the titty-level brycemonkey. Also ass. As I&#39;m thinking about it, movies don&#39;t show enough ass. (female ass.) Did you see Aviator? The only reason I rented it was because it said "nudity" turns out the "nudity" was leo decaprio&#39;s ass. What a disappointment that was....

I do like titty so won&#39;t argue with you too much. Although I think people are obsessed by Rachel Weisz (perhaps even more when pregnant). I&#39;m not sure I can condone you watching movies just to see some nudity. I think a psychiatrist might have something to say about that and your hatred of Leo&#39;s ass. What was my point? No, it&#39;s gone. Long live titties...

Okay, I read the abover reviews, and I have to say that they reek of a plant. I will share that my reply will contain spoilers as well. This is ridiculous; while I will say that a good 2/3 of the movie is gripping and engaging, another third of it is tripe. Anything that happened in the "future" scenes, (which, in my opinion, did not seem to be as much happening in the future as much in Hugh Jackman&#39;s character&#39;s head,) was really weak, and quite honestly, hippy bull.
The primary story, the one that is taking place in the here and now, is that of Tommy and Izzy, true. The past scenes are in a book that Izzy is writing, one that she wants Tommy to finish for her. The future scenes, well, those are just plain stupid.
There are many times the perspective switches around from the present to the past to the "future." However, there are a lot of times when the jumping around happens solely between the past/book scenes to the "future" scenes without warning, and you&#39;re left wondering what the heck is going on.
The ultimate low in the movie, however, is when the "future" Tommy replaces the past Tommy, complete with yoga stance, weird lighting and everything. I was ready to get up and leave at that point, since it made no sense whatsoever.
This film really made me want to go home and watch Requiem for a Dream, since that made so much more sense than this film. I am really hoping that some major changes are made to this movie before it is released.

...that Darren Aronofsky sticks with what HE hopes the film to be, and not cave to studio pressure or fanboy titty-counters. I don&#39;t care if I &#39;like&#39; the end result - I care that it sustains the integrity of his vision. Brought to you by the Unoffical Society for the Protect of Film as Art.

I can not wait to see this, I&#39;m not even going to read the reviews because I want to be floored by this... I don&#39;t even know if I want to see any more trailers. Damn the reviewer who put spoilers...

as far as I am concerned. Pi was very interesting (if a bit drawn out) but Requium was one of the most pretentious and pointless pieces of crap I have seen in many a moon. The only good thing to come out of it was the score. I usually dislike "junkie movies" as a general rule, but this was an especially egregious example This thing looks like it could go either way. And knock off the Brad Pitt bashing. He can be quite good when he decides to get out of his "pretty boy" default mode.

Yeah, I thought Requiem was a bit pointless as well, although the STYLE of the film was new and interesting. But it was a bit over-the-top. And why do people always assume that when there is a graet review on this site, it&#39;s because of a plant? Giev me a break. We in the industry really don&#39;t give sites like this THAT much credit. Then again... I&#39;m here... so I contradict myself. But I&#39;m just a mid level pee on.

c&#39;mon. you can learn a lot about movie nudity by visiting good ol&#39; mr skin. if thats something thats important to you, then that is the leading site, bar none. but on a completly relative note, i loved pi and requiem and can&#39;t wait for the fountain. yee ha!

March 31, 2006, 1:27 p.m. CST

by drjones

sounds great: story, characters and inventive sound, production design and style. to balance my expectations I&#39;m - as someone else already mentioned - concerned about the love story, how it will be kept interesting, believable and real in all three storylines or levels of the plot. interesting interesting interesting. it&#39;s so great to see directors grow up, especially when you are not one of the thirtysomething generation and missed the birth of spielberg and other directors.